The Ministry Leadership Team (MLT)
Responsible for 'spiritualities':
Worship, Evangelism, Pastoral Care, Nurture, Discipleship and Community Links
The Leadership team are:
Vicar: Rev David Cattle
Licensed Ministers: Fiona Selden and Travers Harpur
Evangelism Enabler: Sue Kitson
People Profiles:
Reverand David Cattle - Vicar
This is me (on the left!) with Bernie the dog – one of my daughter Sophia’s favourite toys!
My name is David and I have been the vicar of Galleywood since October 2018. I am originally from the Isle of Man, which is actually a foreign country. I was born on Tynwald Day, which is the day when Manx people celebrate our parliament, the Tynwald, which is over 1,000 years old (the world’s oldest continuous parliament, apparently; that’s the Vikings for you!). So I am a real Manxman, which means I have three legs, no tail, and kippers in the freezer. (OK, only two of those is actually true!)
I used to be an accountant, but in my twenties I felt that God was calling me to be a vicar in the Church of England, so here I am.
I live in the Galleywood vicarage with my young daughter, Sophia. Along with spending time with her (trampolining, craft, and wearing strange things on our heads seem to be our regular playtime at the moment), I like to spend time outdoors running, hiking and sometimes cycling. I love spending time with friends and family, and I support Liverpool Football Club (yeah, I know). I am also learning how to play the electric guitar, which I took up from scratch recently. (This new hobby reflects my misspent youth listening to Def Leppard and Tom Petty. Rock on.)
I have been a Christian since I was a child. I remember hearing people speaking about God and Jesus in assemblies, and it just sort of stuck with me. I have always figured that life is so valuable that there must be a deeper meaning to things. And the Christian stories about Jesus – his life, death, resurrection and ascension to the Father’s side in heaven – and the belief that God is active in our lives by the Holy Spirit, have given everything the deeper meaning I was searching for. That’s because these stories teach us that God is love, and that we are utterly loved forever.
In 2003, I left the Isle of Man to go to Trinity College, Bristol to train to be a priest. I really enjoyed my four years of hard academic study there. Thinking deeply about faith is fascinating, and it strengthened my faith. My specialist subject is the relationship between faith and science, which, contrary to what we sometimes hear, fit together really well, as shown by the many scientists who are Christians. Over the years, through good times and bad, I have found that prayer and reading the Bible have brought me strength and comfort.
I enjoy being the vicar of Galleywood. It is a really nice place to live, and St Michael’s Church is really warm, friendly and relaxed. If you haven’t yet done so, you should check it out!
And if you would like to contact me about anything, my e-mail address is vicar@stmichaelsgalleywood.org.uk and my phone number is 01245 956953.
Travers Harpur - Licensed Lay Minister (Permission to Officiate)
Travers has been part of the St Michael’s church family since 1976 and a Reader/Licensed Lay Minister since 1989. Travers was born in County Cork but lived his life in Bristol, Brentwood and Chelmsford. He started working in Chelmsford in Duke St in 1967 and continued in the same building and firm until he retired as a partner in 2006 and a consultant in 2014. He married Jane in 1970 and they have lived in Chelmsford since then (Jane was a GP; now long retired).
Travers was brought up in a Christian Family and amongst a library of Biblical and other books. He came to his own faith and found three years at the London School of Economics in the 1960’s an exciting place to be a Christian. Travers has long been concerned with teaching and preaching in a Pastoral Context (the local church). Whether in main services or home groups he has a desire to promote a thoughtful Biblical understanding in mind and heart.
Travers worked for many years with bereaved people as a Solicitor and continues, after retirement, to be concerned with such people in a ministry linked to funerals, cremations and burials. He and Jane also have a passion for world-wide mission and Travers chaired, after his retirement as a partner, an international Medical Mission with particular personal links with the Balkans and former Soviet Union where Travers and Jane frequently visited since the 1960’s to just before the pandemic (and hope to resume soon).
Contact details traversllm@stmichaelsgalleywood.org.uk and 0773 806 1551
Fiona Selden - Licensed Lay Minister (Permission to Officiate)
I have been part of the St Michaels Church family since 2002 when I moved to Chelmsford ahead of my wedding to Chris. We married in 2003 and the whole family now worships at St Michaels: Ruth (born 2005) and Daniel (born 2007).
I became a Christian in 1988 when God broke into my life – a combination of a desire to help this broken world coincided with the painful realisation that brokenness was within me too. I made the decision that I wanted to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem – and I realised that I could only do that with the love and strength of God in my life. So began a life transforming relationship with God. An adventure that has never been easy but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Although I originally come from Hampshire – Galleywood has become my home and my children’s home too. I teach at Chelmsford County High School for Girls and I have been a Lay Minister at St Michaels since 2013.
You may also have seen the whole family involved in the annual Galleywood Theatre Group pantomime… we have been involved in direction and acting. It’s been an enriching experience for us as a family, involved with local people doing something ‘by the community for the community’. I have been the villain three times, part of the comedy double act three times, and the hero (Aladdin) once.
Contact details fionallm@stmichaelsgalleywood.org.uk and 07891 478736